The present invention relates generally to the field of durability testing and specifically to a unique test designed to determine the durability of the surface finish of a cooking vessel.
The surface finish of a cooking vessel may be made of many different types of materials. Currently, it is very desirable to have a nonstick surface coating applied to the cooking surface of a cooking vessel. This type of surface coating is desired because it makes the cooking vessel generally easier to clean and use.
One problem with these types of surfaces is that they tend to be softer than other types of surfaces for cooking vessels. Tending to be softer, they are much more susceptible to scuffing that eventually causes the surface to wear or tear away revealing the bare material, usually metal, to which the nonstick coating was applied. Consequently, it is desirable to have a testing procedure that can accurately and precisely inform the manufacturer of the durability of his or her coating so that the public may be accurately informed about the amount of scuffing or other abrasion that the cooking surface can safely sustain. Further, such a testing method allows the manufacturer to accurately gauge the quality of the surfaces produced in a definitive manner by providing the manufacturer with a process and an apparatus that allows for consistent testing of the surface of the cooking vessel.
Accordingly, it is the chief of objective of the present invention to provide a testing method and an apparatus that allows accurate testing of the durability of a nonstick surface of a cooking vessel.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a testing method and an apparatus that allows accurate testing of the durability of any type of surface of a cooking vessel; e.g. an anodized surface, a thermally applied surface like an arc spray or flame spray surface, or any other type of material that may be the surface of a cooking vessel.